Category: Crime and Punishment

In the penultimate installment of America’s Drug War, President Ronald Reagan and his successors take the mantle of drug warrior in the 1980s and 1990s. Jaye discusses campaigns and programs designed to reduce drug use in children, such as Just Say No and DARE, as well as the crack epidemic of the 80s, and the shift to punitive measures that the federal government took to win the War on Drugs. Were these efforts successful – and what did “success” truly mean?

CONTENT WARNING – This episode discusses mature themes, including detailed discussion of illicit drug use. Listener discretion is advised.

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In the third installment of America’s Drug War, Richard Nixon makes good on his second chance at becoming president of the United States in 1968, instituting his “law and order” policies during his president, chief among them sweeping anti-drug policy. These policies concentrated mostly on cannabis and opiates such as heroin, but also overhauled the way the federal government addressed drugs. Jaye provides context to the America of the 1960s, and discusses Nixon’s War on Drugs as key to his crusade to end the social and political change the 1960s represented.

CONTENT WARNING – This episode discusses mature themes, including illicit drug use and political assassinations. Listener discretion is advised.

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We’re taking a short break from the America’s Drug War series to talk urban legends!

In the spirit of the Octobermonth season, Jaye discusses urban legends, particularly three stories voted on by listeners, and provides historical and social context for their spread. What are some common themes in these urban myths? Why do these stories persist, even in the information age? And – are these often frightful tales real? Listen now!

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In the second installment of America’s War on Drugs, drug czar Harry Anslinger continues his reign from the 1930s through the early 1960s. During his 32 years as commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, he campaigned against not only about cannabis, but also against narcotics and opiates. Jaye discusses Anslinger’s reach and impact – including on the medical profession and global drug policies, and how he used mainstream society’s fears of racial equality and communism to advance his vision of an anti-drug world.

CONTENT WARNING – The following episode discusses mature themes, including murder, suicide, illicit drug use, child sex abuse and domestic violence. Listener discretion is advised.

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The War on Drugs in the United States has cost $1 trillion since 1971, and 20 percent of the prison population is incarcerated for drug offenses. Yet there is little evidence it is responsible for declining drug use. How did the War on Drugs truly begin? Jaye explores US history and explains how Prohibition led to our nation’s drug war.

CONTENT WARNING – The following episode discusses mature themes, including illicit drug use and graphic details of murder. Listener discretion is advised.

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In the wake of the recent mass shootings in El Paso, TX, Dayton, OH, and Gilroy, CA, Jaye discusses gun violence, including many of the root issues that contribute to the gun violence epidemic in the United States, and the importance of properly addressing these issues. She takes on white supremacy, misogyny, other right-wing extremist ideologies, and Donald Trump’s failure to unqualifiably condemn white supremacy. Is gun control the answer to the scourge of mass shootings?

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual violence, gun violence, suicide, and murder, including mass murder. Listener discretion is advised.

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In part one of a two-part series about urban renewal, Jaye delves into the history of America’s urban slums. How did these poor, run-down neighborhoods develop in US cities, and how did these areas become associated with people of color, particularly black Americans?

The history of Cincinnati’s West End is discussed as an illustration of how segregated, impoverished neighborhoods developed over time, and how residents became vulnerable to the negative effects of urban renewal policies.

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